Melkizedeck’s clubfoot casting and manipulation is still going on and showing great progress. He still has a few more cast changes. With this treatment, Melkizedeck is going to be able to walk normally.

Melkizedeck’s father says, “People used to look down upon our son due to his disability. I can’t wait for them to seeing him walk well.”

Melkizedeck’s clubfoot casting and manipulation is still going on and showing great progress. He still has a few more cast changes. With thi...

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October 10, 2018

Melkizedeck is a child from Tanzania. He is the second born in a family of three children. Melkizedeck has not yet started school but his parents are already working on getting him into school at the beginning of next year. Melkizedeck’s parents depend on small-scale farming for their living and supporting their family.

Melkizedeck has clubfoot of his left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes.

Fortunately, Melkizedeck traveled to visit our medical partner’s care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on October 11. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $890 to fund Melkizedeck’s clubfoot repair. After treatment, he will be able to walk easily when he starts school next year.

His father says, “A friend had told me how expensive it was to treat this condition. That’s why we never tried to take him to hospital because we knew we couldn’t afford it. If there is a way to help my son, please help us.”

Melkizedeck is a child from Tanzania. He is the second born in a family of three children. Melkizedeck has not yet started school but his pa...

Melkizedeck received treatment at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC). Medical partners often provide care to patients accepted by Watsi before those patients are fully funded, operating under the guarantee that the cost of care will be paid for by donors.

​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

The foot is turned inward, often severely, at the ankle, and the arch of the foot is very high. Patients experience discomfort, and the affected leg may be shorter and smaller than the other.

​What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

These children have a difficult time walking and running. Years of trying to walk on a clubfoot will cause wounds and other skeletal problems, such as arthritis.
Patients will have difficulty fitting in shoes and participating in normal play, school, and daily activities. Many Africans make their livings through manual labor, which can be difficult with an untreated clubfoot.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

Incidence is 1/1,000 live births, or about 1,600 cases in Tanzania annually. This is roughly similar to rates in Western countries, though many cases may be missed. There is no known reason for its occurrence in this region.

Process

Impact on patient's life

Risks and side-effects

Accessibility

Alternatives

What does the treatment process look like?

Patients will undergo a series of small operations, casting, and manipulations during their course of treatment. Patients will stay in the Plaster House, a rehabilitation center for children in Tanzania, for as long as their recovery takes.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

The bones and joint will become aligned, and long-term disability will be prevented.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

Clubfoot is very treatable. The surgery is minor and not risky.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

Care is not easily accessible. Most patients live in remote, rural areas and are identified through mobile outreach. The pediatric surgical program at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre was started to meet the large burden of pediatric disability in the region.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

There are no alternatives. If not treated, the condition will persist and will result in disability.